Northboro man reminds Assumption of 9/11 losses, impact

Thursday

Sep 12, 2013 at 6:00 AM

One hour separated John J. Rapa from the horrific and historic tragedy that took the lives of thousands. In a solemn and poignant reflection in the chapel at Assumption College, Mr. Rapa recalled the destruction, the flames and the lives of the four friends he lost in the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

By Scott J. Croteau, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — One hour separated John J. Rapa from the horrific and historic tragedy that took the lives of thousands.

In a solemn and poignant reflection in the chapel at Assumption College, Mr. Rapa recalled the destruction, the flames and the lives of the four friends he lost in the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

"That day evil got on planes," the 63-year-old Northboro resident said. "Evil came to New York and Washington."

Terrorists hijacked planes and flew them into the trade center's North and South Towers in New York, into the Pentagon, and passengers struggled with terrorists on another flight. That last plane crashed in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Rapa, president and CEO of the financial services firm Tellefsen and Co. LLC, had a meeting set up with a friend at 2 World Trade Center — the South Tower. His New York office was just three blocks away.

Mr. Rapa opted out of an earlier meeting, at 9 a.m., and instead planned a 10 a.m. meeting. At 8:46 a.m. that day, one of the planes crashed into the North Tower. At 9:03 a.m., the second plane crashed into the South Tower.

"I lost four friends that day," he said, reading aloud their names: Rudy Bacchus, Ken Basnicki, Karen Seymour and Julie Zipper. They were in the World Trade Center. All of them were married with children.

Upon hearing the news of the attacks, Mr. Rapa looked out a window of his New York office. Flames and smoke enveloped the once serene day. Paper fell from the sky. With some co-workers, Mr. Rapa made his way to a restaurant, and they watched the destruction unfold on television. The towers collapsed.

"Literally day turned into night when the ash flood came down the street," he said.

As a father of three, Mr. Rapa said the thought of his co-workers' children not having a parent there for the first day of school or college rattles his soul.

"Multiply that by 3,000 times, and it hurts," he said to the group of roughly 20 people inside The Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

The Rev. Dennis Gallagher, Assumption College's vice president for mission, and Deacon Richard C. Martino, know Mr. Rapa from St. Rose of Lima Parish in Northboro. They wanted him to share his experiences at Assumption College.

Rev. Gallagher said students at the college now were between 5 and 9 years old at the time of the attacks. He doesn't want memories of those who died lost.

"Who could have imagined the devastation that was planned for that day?" Deacon Martino said during the service. "A terrible act of terrorism was unleashed on that day — a day that changed the world forever."

Assumption College lost one of its alumni in the terrorist attacks in New York: Thomas V. Linehan, class of 1984. The college has created a 9-11 memorial garden on campus.

Assumption College President Francesco C. Cesareo doesn't want what happened that day to be forgotten either.

"It can't be lost. We have students here who were either young children when this happened, and as the years go by we'll get to the point where they weren't even born yet," he said. "So it becomes this past event that they have no personal connection to. Services and the memorial help to not only keep the memories of those who lost their lives alive, but also the event itself."

Calmly Mr. Rapa talked about those who entered the military service after the attacks. He talked about the first responders who save people's lives daily. He talked about the patriotism of the millennial generation and their volunteerism.

As security tightened in this country, there is more safety here, but we are not completely safe, Mr. Rapa said. He pointed to the Boston Marathon bombings as a recent reminder.

"We've been more vigilant in the last 12 years, and we're safer, but we are not as safe (as before 9-11)," he said.

With that thought Mr. Rapa offered hope and conviction in his reflection:

One person can make a difference. One person can create change and every day people must embrace those closest to them, he said.